A collaborative NIAID protocol which examines 4 treatment arms in localized herpes zoster. Normal patients 50 years old or greater with zoster lesions less than 72 hours old receive (1) oral acyclovir, (2) oral acyclovir plus prednisone, (3) prednisone, or (4) placebo. The progression of skin lesions, pain, virus cultures, and immune responses to varicella zoster virus are followed.